ASL Event Brings People Together

The MavTHAT ASL Club hosted a panel celebrating Deaf Awareness Month on Friday, Sept. 22, at the UTA Central Library. Throughout the two-hour conversation, Deaf professionals shared their life stories with students and members of the public. 

Deaf Awareness Month aims to increase public awareness of Deaf issues, people and culture. It emphasizes the positive aspects of deafness, encouraging social inclusion and raising awareness of organizations locally, nationally, and globally that support those who are deaf.  

Panelist Sheila Grady, an advocate with the Deaf Action Center in Fort Worth, shared her story with the audience.  

Grady grew up with non-deaf family members but had other relatives who were deaf.  

"I learned sign language at 19 when I went to college. I wish that I had learned sign language earlier," Grady said. 'That is why I am such a big advocate for the Deaf.' 

In her role at the Deaf Action Center, Grady works on projects to assist public, state, local and federal agencies, organizations, and private entities in making their services accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.  

"At my job, as an advocate, I advocate for the deaf or hard-of-hearing clients. When I advocate for deaf clients, I have to explain to the businesses that American Sign Language is a complex language," Grady said. "American Sign Language is a complete language, but it does not share the same grammatical syntax as spoken English. It's different. They are two completely different languages. Really, we are bilingual." 

Daymond "DayDay" Sands, a program director with North Texas Performing Arts Deaf Theatre, told the audience that he grew up with extended family members who were deaf, with his aunt being his interpreter for many years.  

When he took ASL and culture classes in high school, he fell in love with Deaf culture.  

These classes led Sands to create his own series, "Click, Click, Crop," which can be viewed on his YouTube channel.   

Through projects like “Click, Click, Crop,” Sands wants to bring Deaf people together to form stronger community bonds and highlight the beauty of the Deaf world.  

Panelist Joel Machogu, an IT professional with the city of Abilene, shared that he was born deaf while his family could hear. His family had their own home signs to communicate, but not formal sign language. Machogu learned Kenyan sign language when he was 18 years old.  

After graduating high school, Machogu wanted to teach math but changed his major to IT at Tarrant County College. He continues working on adding new skills and is currently studying cybersecurity.  

Machogu shared with the audience that the signs in Kenyan Sign Language are different from the ones used in ASL.  

People are encouraged to visit the MavTHAT ASL Club website for more information. Information about the club can be found on its Facebook and Instagram pages.  

The club also hosts a Deaf Coffee Chat at Inclusion Coffee on the last Thursday of every month from 5 to 7 p.m. and the second Sunday of each month from 3 to 8 p.m. Inclusion Coffee is located at 101 E. Abram Street in Arlington. Attendees don't have to be fluent in ASL only curious about Deaf culture.